§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received concerning the level of pensions paid to British citizens retired in other countries. [55801]
§ Mr. DenhamThe Australian Minister for Social Security wrote to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 17 August about this issue. Representations have also been received recently from the Australian High Commissioner, the British Consulate-General in Vancouver, the President of the British Australian Pensioner Association, the Secretary-General of the World Alliance of British Expatriate Pensioners and from pensioners and their organisations.
As there are competing demands and constraints on Social Security spending in the United Kingdom, it would be wrong to raise expectations that uprating UK pensions paid abroad would be likely to attract priority in the current circumstances.